Method of introducing paste into dry-cell cups



June 3 1924. 1,495,990

' H. DE OLAN'ETA METHOD OF INTRODUCING PASTE INTO DRY CELL CUPS Filed June -9, 1920 80 squeezed in the assembling rummage.

Harman DE OTA, or New AVEN, commences, assrenoa so m asrns'rme sans coma, or NEW saver, oomascrrour, a error or CONNECTICUT.

METHOD or m'raonscme rssrr. mire DRY-CELL curs.

Application filed June 9, 1920. Serial No. 887,875.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, Harem mt Omiwra, a citizen ofthe United States, residing 1n New Haven, New Haven County, Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Methods of Introduc-- in Paste into -Cell Cups, of which a? following is d full, clear, and exact description.

This invention method of introducing semi-liguid or pasty substances into containers, an it has articular reference to an improved met od of introducing paste into the metal cups of dry battery. cells. The invention is of peculiar advantage in the manufacture of dry cells of that kind in which a zinc cup contains a body of rather .thick paste, into which a depolarizing- ,cartrid is of the cel the paste being initially located in the bottom of the cup, but being subsequently dis-' placed by pressure to' form a layer surrounding the cartridge at the side. The; invention provides a superior method for injecting an accurately measured quantity of paste into the bottom of the cup, 'for the purpose mentioned, but it is obviously not limited to this'particular application.- One of the primary objects of the invention is the provision of a method whereby the cup may be readily and expeditiously filled to the required extent with thepaste .or similar material.

Another object is to furnish a method whereby the operation may be carried out with cleanliness and neatness. Another object is to provide a method wherein an indication is obtained when the required amount of material has been injected into the cup so that the on and filling nozzle may then be separate and in position for filling.

another cup'placed V c To these and other ends the invention -consists.. :'in the novel steps and procedure and features 7 to be hereinafter described and claimed.

relates to an improved Fig. 2 is a section, on a smaller scale, of

the zinc cup;

Figs. 3 and 4 aresectional' views of the cup and a rtion of the filling apparatus, showing, di rent stages;

Fig. 5 is a section of the cu as it appears after having been partly 'fi ed with aste and removed from the ,nozzle of the filling apparatus; and

is a diagrammatic sectional view on a small scale of the fillin apparatus.

In the cellshown in Fig. 1, 10 is the zinc cup containing the customary carbon pencil 11, which carries. a .cartrid e 12 of suitable depolarizing material. 7 tridge is usually covered by a porous enves car lope 13 of cheese cloth or the like. Be-

tween the side surface of the cartridge andthe side wall ofthe zinc cup is the-paste thick. The ammonium chlorid used in the I cell may in some instances beall placed initially in the depolarizing mix; and ,all

of the zinc chlorld solution employed in the cell may be placed initially in the paste,

as set forth in my application Serial No.-

37 8,458. i In this case the paste will be made,

' v for example, by mixing together wheat flour,

or some other cereal, with zinc chlorid solution (which serves to keep the paste moist) and a mercuric compound, which acts as an .amalgamator for. the zinc. For instance,

in makingup a batch of paste for the manufacture of a number of cells, I may mix together 12.5 kilograms of wheat flour, 50 litres ofzinc chlorid solution at 27 Baum,

and 12.5 grams of mercuric chlorid. These or until all ofingredients are mixed the flour isdissolved and the mass isstirred while being cooked until a stifi paste isformed. The paste may obviously be made in other ways so far as the present invention is concerned, but as stated, it will preferably be a thick, precooked paste, because I find that such a paste gives very good results.

In assembling the cell a quantity of the .paste is introduced into the bottom-of the zinc cup 10, as shown in Fig. 5, and the cartridge 12, carrying the carbon electrode 11, is then squeezed into the paste within the cup in such a manner as to cause the paste to be flowed into the location shown in Fig. 1, wherein it surrounds the cartridge at the side. The particular way in which this is done, however, is not material, as the presentinvention is especially concerned with the method of transferring a measured quantity of paste from a large container into. the bottom of the cup, as

shown for example in Fig. 5.

In carrying out the improved method I usually provide a filling apparatus, generally similar to the one shown diagrammatically in Fig. '6. In this view, 15 is a pump cylinder, into which the paste is introduced in any suitable manner, and '16 is a plunger or follower, which is used for forcing the paste out ofa discharge nozzle; 17 into the battery cup. The body of paste being located in front of the plunger, the latter can he given a forward movement in the cylinder by any appropriate mechanism with which the present invention is not con- ,cerned, the result being that the paste is forced out of the nozzle 17 and into the cup nozzle'section21 iscylindrical, of a diame-,

which is placed against the nozzle for filling. Fig. 6 does not show the 'detail construction of the nozzle, but Figs. 3 and 4 show in detail a form of nozzle which may be employed advantageously in carryingout' the new method. In these views the forward extremity 18 of the pump cylinder is provided with a threaded socket 19, into which is screwed the reduced end 20 of a nozzle section 21. The main part of the I ter only slightly less than the inside diameter' 'of the cup of the dry cell. Between the main capart of the nozzle section and t'se.

redu extremity 20 is a portion 22 of intermediate size, having exterior screw threads engaged by interior screw threads of an aidmstable sleeve 24. The sleeve 24 has a body portion 24 of an interior diameter corresponding to the exterior diameter of the nozzle section 21 and said ortion 24 is located at the front of the s eeve. and slides on the rear portion of the smooth cylindrical part of the nozzle section 21.- At its rear end the sleeve:

has a wall 24" with aperforation therethrougli,.. said perforation being provided with thregds to engage the threads 23. 'A

described. In order to adjust the sleeve the screw 25 is released and then the sleeve is turned in one or the other direction. in order to increase or decrease the distance between the front edge of the sleeve and the front end of the nozzle, as may be desired. The

front edge of the sleeveserves as a stop for the cup, against which the mouth portion of the cup' bears the sleeve being; of approximately the same diameter as the cup. For convenience in operation the exterior surface of the sleeve may be knurled, if desired, so that the sleeve may be turned. by the fingers of the operator.

The front end portion of the nozzle section 21 is cylindrical in shape, preferably with a flat forward face. When the cup is thrust over the nozzle, as shown in Fig. 3, theforward face of'the nozzle defines the space in the ,cup which is to be filled with paste. By adjustment of the sleeve 24 the space to be filled may be increased or decreased, as will be obvious. It is important to note that while the nozzle section 21 almost fills the mouth portion of the cup and all that partlying in front of the space to be filled, it does not completely shut off the bottom part of the cup from the atmosphere. In order that the on may be properly filled it is necessary t at the bottom space be vented of air and this is provided for by my. invention, inasmuch as an .air space is left for venting of the air in the bottom portion of the cup asthe paste is introduced. In the particular 'form shown the air vent is at the periphery of the nozzle section 21, the diameter of said nozzle section being so much less than the interior diameter of the cup, as to permit the air to pass out of the cup and prevent it from Ill being occluded therein. On the other hand,

however, the air venting space, which lies between the outersurface of the nozzle sec, tion and the inner surface of the cup wall, is. not sufliciently large to permit the outward passage ofany appreciable amount of paste into this-space "from the bottom of the cup under a normal operating pres--,

sure. r;

The operation of the a .paratusis' as vfollows: The pump casing aving -been filled with paste in front of the plunger 16 and the cup having been thrust over the nozzle section 21, as far as this is permitted by the adjustable stop 24, pressure is exerted on the plunger for forcing the paste out of the nozzle into the bottom of the cup. The space which will be filled can be accurately determined by adjustment of the stop, as

creases until the paste strikes the bottom,

of the cup. While this is going on the air in the bottom portion of the cup is forced .out over the cylindrical outer surface of thenozzle in the venting space previously mentioned. There is, of course, leakage between the edge of the cup and the opposing surface of the stop sleeve and this leakage is sufiicient to permit the venting of the cup,

particularly if the cup is not held against the nozzle by the hand of the operator with any 'very great pressure. The mushroom head ofpaste being injected into the cup first strikes the bottom of the cup at the center and then spreads out radially over the bottom and the displacement of air for venting is therefore very direct, as the air is peripheral venting space between the outer surface of the nozzle and the inner surface ushed radially and outward to the of the cup. As the pressure on the plunger is continued the. space between the front face of the nozzle and'thebottom and side wall of the cup is completely filled.

At the time this space is completely filled" given by the an indication of-that fact is increased reaction pressure against the hand of the operator. The cup space to be filledis filled .first at the bottom and later at the top, remaining throughoutthe operation in communication with the venting space; but when the paste space is completely filled,

. 6 increased pressure is caused by the fact that 5 the vent opening is so small as 'to prevent any appreciable amount of paste from entering the same. In the case illustrated, for example, the vent passage around the outside of the nozzle being very narrow and that-the same has been filled tothe required "in the bottom of the cup is com the increased pressure caused y the revthe paste on the otherihand being quite paste spacev thick, the result is that when the etely filled sistanoe of the paste to passage through the venting space occasions an outward thrust on the cup, which indicates to the operator extent, and the cup is then removed from the is --nozzle and another cup placed thereon for '05 fijh ving in the nozzle whereby the air in the In the foregoing description it has been v assumed that the paste pump, the axis of which isv preferably horizontally disposed, is fixedly mounted, and that the cup is placed over the filling nozzle by the hand of the operator and then withdrawn after fillas the same is claimed in my companion application, Serial No. 387,674, "filed June 9, 1920.

. What I claim is:

.1. The method of introducing a predetermined quantity of paste into dry cell cups, which comprises introducing a suitable filling nozzle, of approximately the same diameter as the cup mouth, for a measured distance into the cup, ejecting the paste from a relatively small central opening in the nozzle into the bottom portion of the cup, and thus measuring the quantity of paste ejected by confining it between the bottpm of the'cup and the end face of the nozz e. Y

'2. The method of introducing a prede-- v termined quantity of paste into dry cell cups, which comprises introducing a suitable filling nozzle, of approximately the same diameter as the cup mouth, for a measured distance into the cup, ejecting the paste from a relatively small central opening in the nozzle into the bottom portionof the cup, and thus measuring the quantity of paste ejected by confiningv it between the bottom of the cup and the end face of the nozzle while venting the air from the on bottom around the periphery-of the nozzle. 3. The method of introducing into the bottom portion of a cup, a measured quantity of paste or the like, which comprises inserting, for a measured distance into the cup,. a filling nozzle, andforcing the paste into the cup bottom through a relatively small central opening in the nozzle whereby the air in the bottom of the cup is vented around -the periphery of the nozzle and thus measur1ng the quantity of paste discharged by confining it'between the endface of the nozzle.

bottom portion of a cup, a measured quantity of pasteor the like, which comprises cup bottom and the 4. The method of introducing into the inserting. for a measured distance into the cup, a filling nozzle, and causing the paste to flow in mushroom form into the cup bot-' tom through a relatively small central ope lac tom of the cup is vented around the periph cry of the nozzle and thus measuring the quantity of paste discharged bytconfining it between the cup bottom and the the nozzle. a 1

5. The method of introducing. a measured quantity of paste or the like into the bottom portion of a dry cell cup, which comprises causing a measured length of a filling nozzle having a relatively small bore and a broad end face to project within-the cup, e'ecting the paste from the nozzle into the ottom portion of the cup, venting the cupbottom end face of of air by causing the air to pass out at the periphery of the nozzle and continuing the ejection of paste into the cup until the space defined by the cup bottom and the end face of the nozzle is filled, whereby the quantity of paste introduced into the cup is accurately measured. Y

6. The method of filling a dry cell cup with paste or the like up to a predetermined level, which comprises inserting. a filling- A nozzle of substantially the same diameter member having a confining surface of sub-- stantially the sa'me'diameter as thatof the receptacle, then ejecting'the substance into' between the receptacle bottom and the confining surface is filled, while venting the air from the bottom of the receptacle peripherally of said member, whereby the quantity of paste introducedinto the receptacle is measured by being confined between said confining -sur face and the receptacle bottom.

8. The method of making a dry cell which comprises ejecting a'measured quantity of paste into the bottom of a cup and squeezing av depolarizing cartridge into such paste, thereby causing the paste to flow upwardly to .fill the space between the cartridge and the cup wall substantially to the level of the upper surface of "the cartridge.

9. The method of making a dry cell which comprises forcing a measured quantity of thick paste under pressure into the bottom of a cup and then squeezing'a depolarizing cartridge into such paste, thereby causing the paste to flow upwardly to fill the space between the cartridge and the cup wall sub stantially to the level of the upper surface of the cartridge.

10. The method of making a dry cell which comprises the injection of a measured quantity of thick p're-cooked paste under pressure into the bottom of acup, and then squeezing a depolarizing cartridge into such paste, thereby causing the paste to flow up- "wardly to fill the space between the cartridge' and the cup wall substantially to the level ofthe upper surface of the cartridge.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on the 7th day of June, 1920.

I AROLD DE OLANETA.- 

